03
Oct

From Costa Rica to Panama

Bertrand is travelling by bike and Aevon trailer in central America. His last message was written between Costa Rica and Panama.

Bertrand spent the month of July at Playa Hermosa (Costa Rica) enjoying surfing, in a little hut 50m from the beach. At the end of July, some friends joined him for a few weeks. Bertrand left his bike and Aevon trailer at Playa Hermosa to enjoy the time spent with his friends, as travelling by bike would take longer.

They went to the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica :

‘We spent some time with our flip-flops in the national park of Cahuita, then walked to the Arenal volcano to enjoy the warm and cold rivers and biggest lake of the country (which is artifical and located at the foot of 2 volcanos), and replaced our flip flops for something a little more waterproof in the national parc of Nuboso. We put back our flip flops at the end of these 3 weeks on the Pacific coast for some surfing and a few beers…‘

After 2 months without cycling, Bertrand took off again to cross the border between Central America and South America. The next surfing stop is planned for December in Ecuador.

‘The plan is to join the Caribbean coast of Panama, at Panama city, to find a boat going to Colombia. Going from Panama to Colombia is possible by air or by sea. The famous PanAmericana (road that goes from North America to South America) stops here, in an area called the Darien. The Darien is a dense jungle full of mosquitoes, snakes, crocodiles and other nice animals…’

Bertrand crossed the frontier to Panama after a 30mn customs control :

‘The customs officer took a look at my stuff (he got closer, bent to watch inside my bags and bent backwards, all in 2 seconds) and asked me what I was carrying in my bike trailer. I answered with a big smile (they know what I’m carrying on a bike trip) : camping stuff, a tent, some clothes… The idea crossed my mind that I should say I was carrying drugs but seeing his attitude, the size of his best friend attached to his belt and the position of the cap on his head, I admit I decided against it…’

The roads were under construction, some of them were closed to cars, ideal for Bertrand and his bike.